Chapter 67: Receiving and Leading

On Lock Dragon Dam, the surrounding rainwater rumbled; the entire White Water, after the White Water Divine Bureau revived, seemed to have gained vitality.

The Spirit Airfield above White Water was unusually active.

Obviously, it was completely different from before.

On Lock Dragon Dam, after an unknown amount of time, Zhang Jian opened his eyes; a layer of intense divine aura flowed out from around him.

It carried the flavor of legal principles.

Under this special divine radiance, his whole person resembled a jade figure.

There was a kind of power completely different from the ordinary.

"Is this Testing Fate?"

Zhang Jian felt that, under that divine nourishment, there was a noticeable change in himself.

Not mentioning the change in his technique's power, his physique seemed to have gained a layer of vibrant vitality.

That was the result of the divine nourishment.

Extreme Yang spiritual power, together with his essence, energy, spirit, and even the hidden blessings and lifespan, etc., completely combined to form Extreme Yang divine power.

It was blazing, pure yang yet full of vitality.

Zhang Jian raised his hand; as he chanted, a strand of divine power condensed into a Thunder Walking Talisman, crimson thunder tore through the long sky, the void's countless rain curtains were dotted with specks of crimson current, threads of crimson lightning flickered beneath his feet and even appeared behind him.

It was very terrifying.

Zhang Jian felt that, whether it was the speed of condensing talismans or the might of his techniques, there was room for improvement; after a little training, he could achieve this progress.

Besides this, he could truly grasp the thunderous intent within the Thunder Walking Spell and unleash its peak power.

"The Testing Fate stage can indeed be called Dao Foundation; the Great Dao's foundation manifests, and the gap between those who have condensed power and those who haven't is growing ever larger!"

Zhang Jian became slightly familiar with this power, and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

All of his divine power still centered on his dantian, continuously circulating, while simultaneously establishing a special connection with heaven and earth.

Because of the special cultivation method, he could feel that when the divine power circulated through the hundreds of apertures of his body, he opened over a hundred external meridians, as if forming over a hundred external meridians in the void, with internal and external circulation fully open and interconnected.

This is one aspect.

However, after establishing the Testing Fate foundation, the most crucial aspect is another layer of ability currently invisible.

After establishing the Testing Fate foundation, he could finally nurture magical artifacts.

That day, the might of Xu Lao Dao's magical artifact operation left him constantly envious.

……

Above his head, after enduring several dozen collisions, the two intertwined divine forces gradually dispersed.

Bai Nu gazed gloomily at the Prefectural City Emperor Chen Qingyuan before him, realizing that even with the power of the flood dragon, he could not tear apart the opponent's City Emperor divine domain.

If the opponent focused solely on defense, he truly had no way to split the City Emperor divine domain in a short time.

Yet to just retreat like that, Bai Nu obviously could not save face.

That Prefectural Governor's Mansion, in league with the Well Dragon King, attempted to seize his foundation of existence; harboring ill intentions toward him, if not punished, how could he reestablish his authority?

"You little god, my patience has its limits..." The White Water Dragon Lord's eyes flashed with intense dangerous intent.

Meanwhile, the City Emperor God opposite was in worse state, his divine radiance dim all over, his long sword also nicked; Chen Qingyuan secretly trembled.

This White Water Dragon Lord's cultivation far exceeded his imagination.

He could sense that this was still the White Water Dragon Lord after a millennium of distress, with insufficient divine power; if at his peak, one could imagine how formidable his methods would be.

Chen Qingyuan felt a bit timid, but he could not avoid standing here.

Just then, as the two deities' expressions shifted, a stream of light flew up from below, instantly transforming into a figure in purple robes and a golden crown.

Seeing this figure, the City Emperor God's expression eased, his heart gained a bit of confidence, and he first clasped his hands, saying: "Master of the Jade Harmony Observatory!"

……

Before Lock Dragon Dam, Zhang Jian's extraordinarily keen divine sense could perceive the qi of the two divine powers above his head gradually dissipating.

"Unable to break in?"

This scene surprised Zhang Jian somewhat.

He had seen the White Water Dragon Lord's earlier appearance of hair standing on end with rage; that was a direct intent to charge into Phoenix Yang Prefecture and slaughter the prefect.

Yet now he suddenly retreated.

What power could make a raging flood dragon choose to return to reason, to stop the fury that was being vented?

Zhang Jian's thoughts flashed like lightning; this unknown made him feel a sense of insecurity.

"The outside world is truly dangerous!"

Zhang Jian secretly sighed.

Just in a flash, Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the common folk still cheering and jumping; he was infected by the people's joyous atmosphere, his steps moving among them, wandering through streets and alleys, likewise sensing the nourishment of all things from the heavenly rain baptizing the world.

He seemed like an ordinary scholar, standing together with these common folk, likewise freely expressing his joys, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

But not long after, he changed into a fresh set of clothes and appeared outside the Qi Mansion.

In the Qi Mansion, a group of female servants were supporting the elderly lady outside, each holding an oil-paper umbrella, feeling this rare heavenly sweet rain.

Dozens of people stood together, making it quite lively.

Moreover, some younger members of the Qi household completely set aside their oil-paper umbrellas to play in the rain.

"A Yu!"

Seeing Zhang Jian walking out from the long street holding an umbrella, the elderly lady hurriedly had someone call him over, while several aunts stood beside her; among them, Zhang Jian was fairly familiar with Qi Wan Shi, who stood to the lady's left.

Actually, this position originally belonged to Qi Zhou Shi; before the family split, she was the stewardess of the Qi Mansion, holding control over the household's financial authority.

After Qi Zhou Shi's death, Qi Wan Shi, as the second-branch daughter-in-law, temporarily took charge of managing the household's accounts and property.

She was also a proper household manager.

Beside Qi Zhou Shi were the unmarried young ladies of the Qi family; Qi Yu Xian still wore plain clothes, a white flower on her head, and upon seeing Zhang Jian's weary eyes, they also brightened up!

Besides them were Qi Yuhua, Qi Yuzhu sisters; also Qi Yuheng and Qi Yuxin, two young ladies; plus Gu Linlang and Wu Qing'an, two cousin ladies.

There were more male members, but most were not yet adults, and Zhang Jian didn't know many of them.

Qi Yi stood beside the old lady, his posture straight; he saw that Zhang Jian seemed to have something to say, and immediately he and Zhang Jian went under the eaves nearby.

After a brief conversation, Qi Yi's eyes suddenly lit up, and he hurried away.

……

And while Zhang Jian was forging the Supreme Dao Foundation, deep within a magnificent and splendid Divine Mountain, changes also began to arise.

This is a magnificent mountain hidden in the mist, resembling the Divine Mountain of mountain‑sea mythology.

On the Divine Mountain stood numerous jade towers and palaces.

Inside one of the great halls, at that moment a list appeared out of thin air from the void—a purple list; beside the purple list there was also a red list.

"True names have appeared on the Main List; it seems that outside, another fated person has achieved a top‑tier Dao Foundation using the sect's foundation‑establishment method!"

At that moment, a light‑shadow appeared in the void, and within it was an old man whose face resembled that of an infant.

A faint smile appeared in his eyes; having waited here so long, it was rare for another name to appear on the Main List. He then employed a wonderful method with his hand to investigate, a spiritual opportunity entered the list, and shortly afterward he scanned the messages that kept appearing on the list, whereupon his expression froze.

"He is not inside the mountain gate; this is a rogue cultivator who has triggered the reception mechanism?"

His eyes twitched slightly, following the transmission method of Phoenix Tree Mountain.

Among the commonfolk, whenever someone successfully cultivates any one of the several foundation‑establishment methods of the Phoenix Tree Mountain lineage that have been spread abroad, a guide must be sent to lead the way.

Such wild cultivators can forge a top‑tier Dao Foundation without consuming any sect or Dao lineage resources, either because of extraordinary talent or because they possess great perseverance and great wisdom.

They are no inferior to the outstanding talents nurtured within the sect.

In fact, every orthodox Dao sect possesses a similar reception mechanism.

But according to the mechanism, an investigation is still required.

After confirming the other's foundation, do not end up going to the territory of another orthodox great sect to demand people!

Moreover, the Divine Mountain lineage, like other Dao lineages, also has wild cultivators who forge a Dao Foundation by special means; these wild cultivators may not be suited to the orthodox cultivation path.